[pct-l] Number 1 Recommendation for Noob...

[Douglas Tow]

Good afternoon!

Ruffwork has it right, and I am proof.  My brother and I did a 6-day
shakedown hike to test ourselves, our gear, and our strategies, and learned
a ton.  I upgraded my hiking poles, changed out my synthetic sleeping bag
for a warmer down one of the same weight and displacement (got to keep it
dry, though), and ditched our pump filter for Aqua Mira.  We also hated
half of our food, even though it tested well at home.

Our feet got hot spots and blistered a bit, and we found that only
Leukotape was tenacious enough to stick well and not ruck.

We found that we were happy with our shoes, our clothing choices, our
NeoAirs, our tent, and our stove.

One can learn all of this in the first 100 miles coming up from Mexico, of
course, but it might involve needless suffering and discouragement, not to
mention difficulty finding what you really want, when all you really want
is to get north.  Ah, logistics!

Doug